Nike Method Concept Putter

This is not the first, uh how should we put this, uniquely shaped putter we’ve reviewed from Nike Golf. And, while others may scoff at Nike for some truly bizarre shapes, we commend their commitment to pushing the proverbial performance envelope. The Method Concept Putter ($240) was born from an exercise of turning the club engineers loose without any restrictions on aesthetics or marketability of the finished product. They were asked to simply focus on performance.

Normally we’d take a moment here to fill you in on all the technical aspects of the product or compare improvements to its predecessors. But that really flies out the window here. What I can say is that the Method Concept has the same face design as the Method Core line. It’s a good face and does get the ball rolling smooth and true. Beyond that, the putter is like nothing we’ve ever seen or tested. The improved MOI comes from a heavy steel bar that gives the putter the performance of a larger mallet but in a much smaller footprint.

If you can get past the shape, the Method Concept rolls a great putt. We initially struggled to find the right alignment, but after that the extra weight really pops the ball during the stroke. The aluminum face insert keeps the feel soft in spite of the hefty head. The bottom line is you are either going to ridicule or be intrigued by this putter. We’d argue that belly putters look just as strange, but getting the ball in the hole in fewer strokes is no laughing matter. It might not be in every bag on tour this year, but it certainly warrants a look if you use a mallet or are considering changing to one.

The Briefing

Long gone are the days when the commuter bike was an old-school mountain bike with a potpourri of parts and a rear wheel that was only roughly true. A rise in people looking to build fitness, lower their carbon footprint or simply have fun while getting around has created a big market for commuter bikes. Here are some of our favorites for 2015.